Recommendations on a programmer needed
 

I know that there is a billion threads on this (and I have searched!), but none of them seems to answer my question. I have a 2005 2500 with an auto. Most of the time it will be driven unloaded navigating in-town traffic. When I do trailer, it will be my 6k lb Land Cruiser on a trailer (roughly 10k lbs) and possibly a lightweight slide in camper. (I do have air-bags to help with the weight.) Currently I have a Banks 4" turbo-back that I am planning on straight-piping. I am having the transmission rebuilt as I type and I will be putting a VB and TC in it soon. I would like to know what programmer you would recommend for me. I'm not looking for a drag strip killer or a sled-puller. I'm looking for something that I can get good fuel mileage, help with towing and win the occasional "stop light tango".

Originally, I was planning on getting Juice w/ Att due to it taking the place of my gauges (Saving around $300 and a lot better looking. Sorry guys, it's a Cummins, not a Civic!) and the safety features that are built into it. Again, I'm not looking for as much power as I can get away with having stock stafts in the trans, good MPGs and something that can handle the trailering weight the 10 - 20 times a year I will be trailering....

Sorry for the novel... TIA!

i like smartys :tu:

I think a lot of people on here like Smarty, but is that the best choice for my truck and what I need it to do for me? I would rather have my Cummins see 500k mi than a 13 sec 1/4 mile slip... :rocking:

I just don't know enough about this stuff!

I got a Smarty Jr. last month. The only reason I got it was to program 35" tires. But it's nice to have the added power. Nice little improvement on the lowest default setting and cleaned up the low end smoke. Lowered average EGT a smidgen, too. That can't be a bad thing for towing. Highly recommended.

Smarty Jr. Hands down. With what you have told us. You were not looking for a rocket just something to get you down the road a little bit more effeciently. You just cannot beat the Smarty. The Jr. will give you three choices economy, towing, and performance. On the performance it will only give you 100 extra hp. Towing gives you 70 extra hp and the economy gives you 40 extra. This is also a system that is safe to run without gauges. I would recommend gauges but not really needed with this programmer. Good luck.

LT.

wait until sometime in january and get the edge CTS Juice with Attitude, gonna be the best all in one combination, gauges and everything all in one package, and i'm not pushing one thing over the other, but everyone and their mom runs smarty, including myself, but I don't think the smarty is the best option for you

I agree the smarty but the pod will give you what you want when you want it! It's easy to grow out of the JR with the smarty you can set it for what your doing and if you decide to go agressive it's available. I'm seeing 24 to 26 MPG on #7 at 60% On 9 at 75% I get 21mpg You just can't beat that! Just control your foot I use cruise control alot MPG's go to hell when I play but sometimes it's hard to say no to a fool in a ford!:jump:

Smarty Sr or Smarty Jr. Lower EGTs for your towing Selectable horsepower range and exelent service. Hell Bob will call you direct if you have any questions!

BTW when you do your VB and TC, are you drilling the ports to the OD. If not you might want to look into that if your tearing it down.'

Your land cruser going hunting, if so i might want to look into that :tu:

Thank you everybody for the good info so far! :yeah:

I appreciate your honesty, bobcat, but why don't you think smarty is the best option for me? Not trying to dispute what you are saying, just curious because I don't know enough about this stuff!

Please excuse my ignorance, but I have no idea what the percents are referring to. :humm:

I haven't heard of drilling out the OD ports... I will have to do some searching on that.

And the Land Cruiser has be hunting more than once... She doesn't care what she is doing as long as she is locked in 4wd!:rocking: Here are a couple pics for the curious:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...600x600Q85.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P9260051.jpg

The Trans case is drilled for extra lube to the rear one way roller clutch. I THINK this is do to the poor lubrication in the overdrive section but perhaps sombody more knowlagable will step in:humm:
I think hes talking about the smarty 06 POD. I use it. POD power on Demand although its not truely a percentage its numbers 1-99 changes your power on the fly. I havnt used that yet. Just the regular smarty Revo Catches.

Smarty Senior and a Quad Boost Fooler, you really don't need anything more from what you say. That will get you close to 500 HP and over 1000 ft\lb TQ without modifying turbo or fuel system.

The Edge is a decent box but too hot for most applications, towing especially. The gauges and back down are nice because you NEED them with it but it doesn't offset the potential for harm.

Do the analog gauges and learn to tune\drive by what they tell will be a net positive in the long run.

A TC, shift kit or VB, and few other parts will keep the trans happy. Towing the 10k will not be an issue with even a stocker.

Thanks for the advice! Please feel free to keep adding ideas and reason and I'm gonna start saving my pennies... All I can say is I sure love being back into a diesel!:jump:

From this point on its more specific questions and points which will differ with use. If you have specific areas, questions, concerns, etc, you will get a better response detailing them than asking generic broad questions.

Anyone can write book on ideas and options because it is THAT broad. Narrow it down and answers are more applicable.

Cheers and enjoy. :jump:

Smarty and Guages or Edge Juice with Attitude.

I guess I'm not really sure what to ask! I'm not sure I can be more specific than my first post as of right now because I don't know enough about diesels. me = :bigbaby:

Well I see you only just joined the forum here this month. Hang around for awhile and read what people are saying. Maybe join some of the other boards too, there's plenty. Drive the truck for awhile like it is and get to know it before you start modding it. What's the hurry?

Just a few suggestions. :tu:

So what are the %s guys are talking about with the Smartys?

Going by your first post, you are on the right track with the trans. TC and VB or shift kit, billet servo pistons and billet front servo cover, billet band strut and anchor will address the issues with transmission.

Power wise, a Smarty plus a Quad Boost Fooler and gauges (boost, supply fuel pressure, rail pressure, EGT, trans temp) will give you all the power you need to do what you described and the monitoring to keep things in one piece.

I like analog gauges divorced fromt he power adder to limit possible problems. also, the units that read from the ECU signals never seem to be as accurate as analog.


The % figures are for the Smarty POD (power on demand) settings. Load up the baddest tune, 170 HP, and set the output to a percentage of that. With the Smarty plugged in you can change the power on the fly up or down. Unplugged it stays at the level you set.

That makes sense! Thank you! :yeah::tu: